Living History
by firnoviel
Summary: Draco has an accident and ends up in World War II Germany. How did Hermione get there, too? Will they be able to overcome their differences and survive? Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I promised a few people that my next fiction after _Owls_ would be a Hermione/Draco fanfic. If you don't like that pairing, I would recommend that you do not read this story. Also, I think what Hitler did was terrible, so if I say something that could be misconstrued, please remember this.

Disclaimer: I do not, never have, and never will own Harry Potter.

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"He's a wannabe tyrant! He tortures and kills innocent people and is trying to take over the wizarding world! How can you possibly support someone like that!" Hermione was ranting.

"Power is the greatest thing, mudblood. If you have power, you have control, and the more control you have, the more stuff you can do. Now if you happen to control through fear, that's even better, because you can make people do what you want and they don't question you. I wouldn't expect a mudblood to understand that, though," Draco sneered.

"Sounds to me like a wizard version of Hitler," she snapped.

"Maybe it is. And what's wrong with that? Hitler had the right idea. Get rid of the weak and tainted. They're worthless, just like mudbloods," he spat.

"You have no sense of human decency," she growled and turned away, heading towards Gryffindor Tower. By now, the entire hallway was watching. Draco watched her for a second, a small smirk on his lips, before heading down the same hall in the direction of his next class. Ron, who had been standing nearby, casually stuck out a foot, tripping the blonde. Draco stumbled a couple feet down the hall to the top of a staircase where he lost his balance completely and tumbled down, blacking out on the way.

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He woke to a rumbling sound and the earth was shaking. Was it an earthquake? No, not in this section of the world...but what was it? He opened his eyes and saw flashing lights. He was lying on a pile of rubble. Where was he? This wasn't Hogwarts by any means. He was surrounded by buildings in ruins, and he was outside. What was going on? He heard a groan behind him.

"Malfoy?" he heard an all-too-familiar voice snarl behind him.

"Granger? What are you doing here? You wouldn't happen to know where 'here' is by any chance would you? You do seem to know everything," he sneered, trying to make light of the situation. Suddenly there was another earthshaking boom and he was knocked down into the rubble next to her.

"N-no, I don't have any idea what's going on. Why are there searchlights? What are they looking for?" she said, pointing towards the sky. He hadn't noticed the lights before.

"I don't know. I didn't notice them a second ago," he said, all thoughts of who he was talking to gone.

"Wait! It's a plane of some sort. It looks rather old. A bomber? But why would someone be bombing England?" she whimpered.

"That's a World War II bomber, Granger. An American bomber...why would the Americans bomb England? They're allies. Hey, what kind of building is that across the street? It looks like a movie theatre!" He took off across the street.

"Wait! Why does that matter? Wait for me!" she called, looking around at the shadows. She got up and hurried after him.

"Scared, Granger?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm a human with normal reactions to stressful situations," she shot back.

"Uh-oh. This is not good...This movie poster is in German. And look at the year! MCMXLIII...that's 1943! Do you know what that means?" his voice was shaking.

"This...this is Frankfurt!" she squeaked.

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How's that? I'm trying something that I hope will be different but good. I love World War II, but I don't know a whole lot about the European Theatre from a non-American point of view. Sorry if I get a little bit wrong! Please review, even if you have to criticize.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm sad. I didn't get any reviews for my last chapter. That's about the saddest thing for any writer. Do you guys not like it? Please don't be afraid to tell me it's crap in a review, so long as you tell me how I can improve. I want your opinions.

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"World War II Germany? How did I get here? I was going to the common room!" Hermione wailed. Draco grabbed her, clamped a hand over her mouth and dragged her into the shadows. He was obviously listening for something, but Hermione was merely enraged at the fact that he would dare touch her. She could think of nothing else until she saw them. Three German soldiers were walking cautiously down the other side of the street, a German shepherd on a leash in front of them sniffing the ground and occasionally looking around.

"Don't make a sound," he whispered in her ear, removing his hand from her mouth. She nodded in silence. Were they looking for survivors? Jews, maybe? She had read _The Diary of Anne Frank_, and she knew what these people did to Jews. Of course, she knew that they would be just as brutal to any English people who happened to be in their ruined city in the middle of a war. Spies were everywhere. Finally, the soldiers rounded the corner and went out of site. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Let's get out of here," Draco whispered from the shadows next to her.

"And go where?" she hissed. It was true. They knew no one, had no contacts, spoke very little German, and had never been in a war so extreme before. What were they supposed to do?

"Look, somehow, we've got to get to England, or at least Switzerland. Somewhere not controlled by the Nazis. They'll kill us," he said.

"No, really? I thought they'd want to invite us over for tea and scones," she scoffed. He shot her a glare and continued.

"This late in the war, they already control most of Europe, and it won't be free for another year, at least. The Allies don't even invade Normandy until June of 1944, and Germany doesn't surrender until spring of 1945."

"Thanks for the history lesson. At least you aren't completely stupid."

"Look, we've got to cooperate to survive, okay? I don't like you, and you don't like me. We both know that, now let's get over it and get to England, right? We can resume hating each other there," he finished. She glared at him, but she had no choice but to go along with what he said.

"So where do we go from here?" she asked. He began picking a path through the rubble of the demolished city.

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"Okay, Malfoy, we're out of the city. I think it's pretty safe to stop skulking in shadows and walk like normal people. Maybe if we don't act like we're guilty of something, we'll seem less suspicious," Hermione said when they had finally gotten out of Frankfurt. It was the twilight before dawn now, and small streaks of orange were just beginning to grace the sky.

"You may know a lot about spells and stuff, Granger, but when it comes to World War II, you must be pretty dumb. See this road we're on? Don't you see just how flat and wide it is? Or would be if it weren't pock-marked with craters from explosives? It's a pretty busy thoroughfare during the day. We can't stay on it much longer after daylight, because we have no idea who we're going to encounter, right? So stop whining. I'm trying to find a place to hide out during the day," he snapped. They'd been up all night, and they hadn't eaten since what must have been yesterday afternoon in the Great Hall. He was tired and hungry and all of her complaining was really getting on his nerves.

"Hey!" she said, suddenly seeming excited.

"What?" he growled. She scowled at him.

"I was merely going to say that I see a little hut up ahead and off to the left. It's down in that little valley by a clump of trees. It looks abandoned," she said. He looked to where she was pointing and saw a run down little bundle of sticks that may have passed as a hut at one time.

"Well, we can check it out, I guess," he conceded. They turned and began walking down the hill.

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Okay, I'm really starting to get some ideas for this story, and I may actually do an outline for once to try and figure out the order that I want it written. It's coming to me in bits and pieces, and I really like what it could be. Please, guys, give me suggestions and comments. I love hearing what people think of my writing!


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks, Moogoo and Cat18 for your reviews! Moogoo, I will try to slow down the story a bit. I have a lot in mind for it, and I'm going to try to make my chapters longer than normal (for me). Well, enjoy!

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The shack was really just an eight by ten room with a ratty old cot in one corner and some pots and pans in a tub under the only window. The room was covered in a fine layer of dust, and there were holes in the ceiling and walls, while the floor was just dirt.

"It's probably just an old hunting cabin some villager stayed in sometimes. It doesn't look like it's been occupied in a while," Draco said, peering around.

"Well, for once I'm sorry to say I think you're wrong," Hermione said. She pointed to the floor. "If you look, the dirt has been disturbed and there are small prints in it. The bed isn't dusty at all, really. Malfoy, someone has been living here."

Draco cursed. "Look, we can't keep going like this. We're both tired and hungry, so we've got to stay here, at least for a few hours. Maybe they won't come back. How about if you go out, get a big stick that you could use as a club, and stay here. I'll go try and find something to eat while you wait. When I get back, we can take turns eating and sleeping, right?"

"Okay. I don't really like the idea of splitting up, but I guess it would be alright," she agreed.

"Good. Go get your stick and come straight back here. If anyone tries to come in, you wait by the door and bean them as hard as you can upside the head. Knock them out if possible. This is a hit first and ask questions later situation. Do whatever you can to stay hidden," he warned. They had left the shack together and were walking towards the little wood. After he finished his lecture, though, he left her alone and went to find some food.

Hermione looked around. The woods, which had seemed green and pretty in the early morning light, had now taken on a sinister and forbidding look. With every step she took she expected a German soldier to jump out from behind a tree and grab her. Once, a rabbit darted in front of her and she almost screamed. She grabbed the first sturdy looking branch she could find and ran all the way back to the shack.

Once inside, she found a little wooden stool with three legs and set it by the door. She sat down and leaned against the wall, her stick in one hand, trying to calm down. She watched as a small spider skittered across the floor. She was so tired...

When she opened her eyes again, a small girl was standing in front of her, her stringy brown hair falling around her small face, large brown eyes gazing at Hermione with a look of pure curiosity. Her dress, which must have been a pale pink with small flowers, was now a dingy brown with stains and a few tears. The sleeve was hanging loosely off one of her tiny shoulders. She was filthy had no shoes.

"Hallo, where's your mum?" Hermione asked, forgetting she was in Germany momentarily and that this little girl probably didn't speak any English. She was right. The little girl just continued staring, but took a small step back. Maybe she thought this stranger was going to hurt her.

Just then, Draco walked in. He froze when he saw the girl, and then rounded on Hermione. "Where did she come from?" he hissed. She just looked at him and shrugged. "I thought I said _no one_ was to enter this place. Are you as deaf as you are annoying?" he snarled.

"She's just a little girl! She can't be much more than six, and she's obviously alone. What can she do?" Hermione snapped.

"She can tell an adult that there are a couple of English kids living in this shack. They can follow our trail from here. My gosh! And they say that you're the smartest kid in school?" he shook his head in dismay.

"Look, I'm sorry. I fell asleep and when I woke up, there she was. What was I going to do, hit a little girl with a club? I don't think so, Malfoy." she growled.

"Fine." He reached into his robe and pulled out his wand.

"No! What are you going to do to her?" Hermione grabbed his hand. He just shook her off.

"Relax, I'm not going to touch her," he frowned. He placed the tip of the wand at his throat and uttered some sort of incantation Hermione didn't recognize.

"What did you just do?" she asked. He ignored her and bent down so he was at eye level with the girl. He began speaking to her in German and she looked at him with bright, intelligent eyes, occasionally nodding or giving short answers. Finally he stood up.

"Her name is Elsa. She's six years old and her parents are dead. They were harboring Jews and refused to surrender them to the Nazis. Her mother hid her and told her not to make a sound. She ran away after the soldiers left and she's been living in this shack for a while. She knows how to find food. I think we should take her with us. She has no future here."

"How...how did you do that? You don't speak German. What was that spell you used on yourself?" Hermione was still hung up on the fact that he knew something she didn't. Draco actually smiled.

"You aren't the only one who reads spell books sometimes, Granger. My family travels a lot and we have to communicate when we're abroad. So is it okay with you if we bring her with us?" he said, nodding towards Elsa.

"Oh. Uh, sure. I guess that's okay, but I'm not going to take care of her by myself, got it? You have to help. You can't just wander off whenever the mood hits you," she said.

"Hey, so far, I'm the one who's been saving our butts. If it hadn't been for me, you probably wouldn't have left Frankfurt. You'd have been caught by those Nazi guards." Hermione didn't know what to say to this. It was true, after all.

"Fine. Did you get anything to eat?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah. Here, cook these or something. I'm going to sleep for a while." He tossed his scarf to her, and she opened it to find some herbs, berries, and a few small apples.

"Wait," she said, just before he could lie down. He looked at her. "Teach me that spell so I can talk to Elsa," she requested. He stood up and walked over to her, getting out his wand. "No, I said teach me, don't do it yourself. I want to learn it."

"It's a very tricky spell, Granger. If you mess up even the tiniest bit, you could end up with anything from no voice to no throat. Just hold still," he commanded. He placed the wand gently to her throat and muttered the words. She felt a strange tickling at the back of her throat, but otherwise, nothing changed.

"Did it work?" she asked.

"Talk to her," he said, pointing to Elsa.

"Hi, Elsa, I'm Hermione," she said. Elsa just looked at her. "Aw, crud. It didn't work," she groaned.

"Hello," Elsa whispered from behind her. Hermione turned around at the sound of the gentle, tiny voice and smiled.

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Okay, how was that guys? Please, please, please review! I'd like to get more response to this story, even if it's just a couple words.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It really means a lot to me that you like my story. I will try to update as fast as I can think of the storyline. As always, please continue to review, and if there's anything you want to see/don't want to see happen in the upcoming chapters, please tell me in your review so I can do my best to fit your interests.

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Hermione looked at Elsa in surprise and then to Draco.

"What is this spell, Malfoy?" she asked.

"Lengua Totalis. It allows you to communicate using any language, both speaking and understanding. But it's a pretty uncommon spell because even the slightest slip-up could be disastrous. Really, Granger, I'm surprised you've never heard of it," he said in an irritatingly smug tone.

"Yeah, me too," she muttered as she turned away in disgust.

"Well, Granger, since you've already slept about half the morning, I'm going to take my nap and leave you women to do the cooking. Wake me up when it's ready," he said, lying down and turning his back to them. Hermione just rolled her eyes at his chauvinist comment, and within moments she could hear his heavy breathing. He had fallen asleep and she was now alone with this small girl.

"So, Elsa, what should we make?" she asked, turning to the child. Elsa just shrugged. "Well, I guess it's up to me, then," Hermione sighed. She rolled up her sleeves and began.

First, she sliced the apples, cut out the core, and stuck them in a bucket of water. She had Elsa go out and fetch some firewood and once it was gathered, Hermione had the child go wash the rest of the berries and herbs in a small stream nearby. While she did that, Hermione took her wand and started a fire. When Elsa got back, the apples had been cooked and they put the berries in along with some herbs to make a small salad-like mixture.

"Well, Elsa, let's see how this tastes," Hermione said, scooping out a small spoonful of the concoction. She was pleased to discover it was sweet and refreshing, and not a terrible cooking mishap, like food inventing so often is. She promptly got two small bowls for herself and Elsa from the old tub by the window, and they ate happily.

When Draco finally woke up, he rubbed his eyes and looked around, obviously slightly disoriented by his location. His expression quickly changed from one of confusion to disappointment when he remembered where they were. Looking around, he spotted the girls, sitting just outside the open door of the hut. He got up and wandered over to them, eying the empty bowls sitting at their sides.

"Did you actually manage to make something edible, Granger?" he smirked, trying to keep the eagerness out of his voice, because now he was really starting to get hungry. She turned and glared at him, but stood up and walked into the hut. She grabbed another bowl out of the tub and lowered it into the pan by the now extinguished fire.

"Here, eat up," she said, shoving the bowl at him. He stared at the contents of the bowl warily. "Oh, come on. I didn't do anything to it, Elsa and I both had some already," she snapped and whirled around, marching back out to where Elsa sat. He sniffed the food and then took a small bit. His eyes opened in shock when he discovered that it was actually pretty good. He began to eat as fast as he could without drawing attention to himself, and when he was done he set the bowl down and went out to join the girls.

"Alright, Granger, your food was actually not too bad," he admitted grudgingly. Hermione did her best to hide her smile.

"I'm glad you approve," she said. He just grunted and stared off into the distance at nothing in particular.

"Malfoy, I've been thinking," she began.

"So what else is new?" he snorted. She ignored him.

"We can't keep wandering around Germany in our school robes. We know little enough about this whole situation without drawing attention to ourselves," she said. He nodded in agreement. She did have a point.

"Well, what do you suggest?" he finally asked.

"I'm not sure. I could try and change them into some normal looking clothing, but I need to see what the locals wear, first. I'm not really up on the clothing styles of Germany in the 1940's. I think we should try and find a village tonight, stay out of sight, and see what people wear. I can duplicate their clothing and at least then we won't have to worry about our robes," she said.

"Yeah, okay. I guess that'll have to work. It'll be dangerous, but we've got to do it. The only thing is, we don't know where the villages are around here," he said.

"No, we don't. But Elsa does. She could guide us to the nearest village and we can keep her with us and take her to England. There's nothing left for her here," Hermione said, gesturing to the shack.

"Alright, this whole idea just may work. But we have another problem," he said, thinking.

"What's that?"

"How are we gonna get to England? Germany controls every country between us and England with the exception of Switzerland. We could go to Switzerland and try to make connections there, but we'd have to go south first, and then northwest, plus Switzerland is landlocked. We could risk going straight west, but we'd be cutting through Belgium and France, both of which are pretty heavily occupied. We could also go north to Sweden, which is also a neutral country. We'd still have to cut through a good part of Germany, and all the way through Denmark, which is occupied, but we might stand a chance. The only thing is getting across the North Sea to Sweden," he sighed.

"This is like being on a sinking ship in shark-infested waters," Hermione muttered. Out loud she said, "I think we should just cut straight across to England and skip Sweden and Switzerland. We have to go through German territory no matter what, so let's just take the most direct path."

"Okay, fine. Well, the sun is setting now, so I guess we should try and find this village, huh? Elsa, do you know where the nearest village is from here?" he asked, turning to the girl. She had been sitting there the whole time, listening quietly. She nodded her head, stood up, and began walking. Draco and Hermione fell into step next to her.

She led them through a strip of woods, and then across several wheat fields. Under different circumstances, it would have been a beautiful walk in the evening. There was a cool breeze stirring the leaves, the sky was streaked with pinks, reds and oranges, reflecting off of a few small cumulus clouds while the birds sang softly. Draco and Hermione were too busy noticing all the different places a German soldier could hide in the woods, and how little cover there was for them should they come under fire or have to run through the fields.

"There," Elsa finally said, pointing to a small group of houses. It was a tiny town in the heart of Deutschland near the Rhine. As she looked, Hermione could see people walking home, probably either having supper, or just finishing. The site made her miss Hogwarts terribly all of a sudden, and her eyes began to well up.

"What's wrong with you?" Draco asked, glancing at her. He definitely had a lack of tact towards Hermione.

"I miss home," she sniffed, whipping her eyes on her sleeve. "I'm fine, though."

They walked quietly down the slope towards the town, keeping an eye out for any people who might spy on them. When they reached the shadow of a house on the edge of town, Hermione turned to Draco.

"Okay, I'm going to have to find a boy and girl who are wearing pretty normal looking clothes and duplicate them. It shouldn't be too hard, so if you see anyone who might fit the bill, point them out, please." He nodded and turned to watch.

Pretty soon, they saw a group of teenagers walk by and Hermione pointed her wand, muttered a few words, and voila! They had new clothes in place of their robes. Elsa stared in silent wonder.

"Nice going, Granger, now let's get out of here," Draco whispered as she stashed her wand in a pocket of her new skirt. They began to walk away when they felt a hand come down on their shoulders. When they turned, they were looking up into the faces of three large German soldiers.

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Okay, how was that? These chapters are a lot longer than my normal ones! It's kinda fun for me. Please give me reviews, guys! I really look forward to them, and the more I get, the sooner I update.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! I do know a lot about WWII, and especially the politics, geography, and some of the major battles. I'm trying to write this as accurately (from a historical standpoint) as possible, but I do apologize if I get a few things wrong. Sorry it took a little longer to get this chapter out, but I had band camp. Oh, and I don't speak German, I just know a few phrases. If I misspell or use something incorrectly, I'm sorry.

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"What do you think you're doing?" the soldier who had grabbed them growled. "It's time for curfew."

"Curfew?" Draco and Hermione asked in unison.

"_Ja_. Now go home," the man commanded. When they didn't move, he glared at them. "Where do you live?"

"We're-"

"Orphans. We're orphans and we have no home," Hermione cut Draco off and gave him a warning glance. The big man's expression changed from one of mild annoyance and boredom to a mixture of malice and glee.

"Come. We will give you a home," he gestured to the other two soldiers with him. They quickly grabbed the two children and began marching them off.

No one noticed the small girl watching them go from behind a fence. Elsa, who had been facing Hermione and Draco and, consequently, the soldiers, had ducked away in the initial confusion, and the soldiers hadn't seen her through Draco and Hermione. Now, quietly tracking them, she followed the group in the deepening twilight.

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When the Germans finally stopped their march, they were standing in front of a camp full of Nazi soldiers. They guards, offering a _guten abend_ as they passed. They walked through rows of military tents, housing hundreds of Nazis, until they reached a slightly nicer looking one. Their captors knocked on the door at the command of a voice inside.

The inside of the tent was full of papers, electronic radios, maps, books, and other miscellaneous paraphernalia. A man, probably in his early forties with salt-and-pepper hair, stood in the middle of it all, studying a map with his back to them. He turned around to reveal a weathered face with muddy hazel brown eyes and a mustache under a hooked nose. He glared at the intruders none too happily.

"Well? Why have you disturbed me?" the man snapped. Hermione and Draco could feel the hands on their shoulders noticeably tighten.

"We have brought you some orphans, _mein herr_. Perhaps they could be of use to the battalion. Make food, carry messages, and the like," the soldier who had first spoken to the children said.

The man eyed the children. He took a few steps closer and began to circle them, inspecting them.

"You," he said, pointing at Draco, "Can you shoot a rifle?"

Draco was slightly taken aback at the question. "Well, sir, I've never tried."

The man frowned at him, and then turned his attention to Hermione. "And you, can you cook?"

"Yes, I can." She was a bit offended that he had asked her about something as domestic as cooking instead of shooting.

"Fine. You can both work in the mess tent and try to make something somewhat edible for the men. That will be all, sergeant. _Heil Hitler_," he said, dismissing the soldiers and teenagers from his tent.

"_Heil Hitler_." They chorused and marched back out.

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Draco and Hermione had been introduced to the cook, given instructions as to their particular jobs, and shown to a tent. The sergeant hadn't bothered to give them separate tents, deciding that they could figure out their differences themselves rather than wasting an extra tent on an orphan just because they were different sexes.

They curled up on their government-issue cots on opposite sides of the tent. Each was thinking dark thoughts about their situation, wondering how it happened and how, if ever, they would return to modern day England and Hogwarts.

"Granger," Draco said, a thought suddenly popping into his head, "where's Elsa?"

Hermione gasped. "She's not here, is she? They didn't capture her, so she must have escaped! I hope she's far from here," Hermione sighed.

"What if she's not? What if she's still back in that village with no where to go and no one to look after her? We've got to get away from here." He stood up and began pacing the floor, running his hand through his hair in an agitated manner.

Hermione watched him for a moment, puzzled. A question popped into her mind. "Malfoy," she began cautiously, "why do you care so much about a little girl we've only known for a day? She got away, and she'd been surviving on her own for quite a while. I've never seen you so concerned about one person before."

He stopped pacing, unable to decide if he should ignore this question, scorn her for asking something so silly, or answer it honestly. Finally, he decided to answer honestly since they would be stuck together for who knew how long and it wouldn't work to be any more unpleasant than necessary.

"I don't know," he finally sighed. "I've always had a soft spot for little kids, and her life has been so sad. I guess I have a bit of a humanitarian spirit," he groaned. "If you ever tell anyone, you're dead," he added as an afterthought.

Hermione smiled slightly. "Well, how do you recommend we escape this hell hole?"

"I don't know. I guess we just wait until it's really dark and sneak out of camp. It can't be that hard, can it?"

Hermione shrugged.

"Anyway, we still have to get to England somehow. What time is it?" he asked.

She looked at her watch. She always carried an old pocket watch with her. "It's about 10:30 right now."

"Okay, we'll wait until around 1:30 and then try and sneak out. That means we can each sleep for about an hour and a half before we go." He sat back down on his cot and Hermione nodded in agreement.

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At 1:30 in the morning, the camp was completely silent. No one stirred except for the guards who kept vigil on the perimeter. Two shadowy figures darted out of one of the tents and over to the dark recesses of another. They moved like that, avoiding all light and people, until they reached the edge of camp. The guards hadn't seen them. The west side of the camp was about 100 yards from the edge of a thick wood, and this was where the wraiths were headed. They watched the silent guards as they reached the ends of their paths, turned and began back towards the middle. After another of these turns, the guards had their backs to the pair, who bolted towards the tree line.

Once in the trees, they walked about a mile until they found a stream. Both lay down on the banks and drank greedily of the cool water. The girl looked up from where she lay and was startled to see a shadow on the other side of the bank, watching them. Slowly, she moved her hand and shook the shoulder of the boy next to her.

"Malfoy," she whispered, "look!" She pointed towards the shadow. He looked up, equally surprised, until the person stepped into a patch of moonlight.

"Elsa!" they cried in unison. Hermione splashed across the small stream and engulfed the girl in a hug. Draco followed, but greeted her instead with a pat on the shoulder. Hermione watched in amusement.

After exchanging greetings and brief explanations of where they had been, the three settled down to sleep, and all slept soundly until waking in the mid-morning light.

"Well, I suppose we should start walking," Hermione suggested. The others nodded, and they set out.

The afternoon sun was beating down on them before they stopped to rest. After eating, Elsa managed to talk Hermione and Draco into playing a game of tag with her. The little girl was so appealing, they couldn't say 'no'. They were racing around, screaming and laughing as the teens hadn't done since they were children. Suddenly, Hermione stepped in a hole and tripped.

"Ow!" she yelled. She sat on the ground, clutching her ankle; her eyes were red and shiny with tears. "I think I just broke my ankle," she choked. Draco rushed over, carefully moving her hand and feeling the bruised skin. She winced at the pain, and he grimaced at what he felt. Her ankle was most definitely broken, and they didn't have any way to fix it.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to make you a splint and a cane and go a lot slower," he sighed, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. He and Elsa hurried about; getting sticks and the largest broadleaf plants they could find to construct a make-shift splint.

They finally had her all bandaged and were going to just make camp for the night when several men in uniform stepped into the clearing.

"So, you thought you would get away from the German army, did you?" They recognized the _Kommandant_ from the camp. He sneered at them in a most unpleasant way. "Well, if you thought you had it bad before, you have only made it worse." He cackled and they were immediately grabbed and forced to march. Hermione had to be carried by one of the larger soldiers, since she couldn't walk.

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Okay, it all seems like it's going in circles, I know. But I know what I'm doing, I promise! I'll try to get the next chapter up faster, too, because I know what I'm going to do and how it all ends. I actually did some prewriting for this story! As always, please please please review! I update faster with more reviews.


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, could someone please tell me what's wrong with this story? Since the last chapter, two people have taken it off of their favorites, and I don't know why. If I never get any critiques feedback, I don't know what's wrong. Please review my story, guys.

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"Where are you taking us? Back to the camp?" Draco asked as he was shoved along by one of his guards.

"Ha! You will wish that were the case when you do get to your new destination. Breendonk, Belgium." The kommandant laughed cruelly at the thought.

"What, exactly, is Breendonk?" Draco asked, unsure if he really wanted to know the answer.

"It's a prison camp. Actually, it was a fortress designed to protect Belgium from an attack from Germany at the beginning of the century. Glad to see that worked out for them," he laughed sarcastically. Draco was inwardly groaning at this new bit of information. They were being sent to a prison camp designed as a fortress? Escape would not be easy.

---

They were taken to the local train station by their guards and placed in a boxcar with several other unfortunate souls. The doors were shut and locked, and they were forced to stand, since there was no place to sit. Hermione moaned as she balanced precariously between Draco and Elsa on one foot.

"Where did they say we were going?" Hermione asked.

"Breendonk, Belgium. It's an old fortress that they converted into a prison camp for the war," Draco sighed.

"Well, at least we're getting closer to England. Too bad we're going to be stopped about 12 miles short of Antwerp," Hermione said.

"Antwerp?"

"Yeah, it's a major port city in Belgium. Breendonk, if I remember my geography correctly, is about 12 miles to the southwest of Antwerp. If we could escape and make it those twelve miles, we could probably contact the British underground and escape to England somehow. The only problem with a port is that the whole North Sea, especially around England, is filled with U-boats."

"How do you know all this stuff?" Draco was rather impressed.

"You're not the only one with a bit of interest in World War II. I was just more interested in the Holocaust than the actual battles and weapons of war. A lot of it was just common knowledge anyway," she said airily. She looked down when she felt a tug on her sleeve. "Yes, Elsa?"

"Are we going to Breendonk? Breendonk is a bad place! There are never very many people there, but they have torture chambers, and they say the SS guards are extra mean because there are fewer people to pick on." The child's eyes were large with fear. Hermione felt her heart sink at the words.

They rode the last part of the trip in silence.

---

Upon their arrival, the prisoners of the train were all shuffled onto large transport trucks like cattle and driven to the massive fortress. The gray structure with thick concrete walls and barbed wire fences looked gloomy and bleak in that early morning dusk.

Elsa, upon seeing the prison, burst into tears and threw her arms around Draco's waist. He was so startled that he put one arm around her shoulders and used the other to pet her head. He didn't want the girl to know that he was just as frightened as she was, and was actually somewhat glad to have someone to hold on to.

He glanced over at Hermione, standing next to him in the bunker. She was leaning against the side of the vehicle, her eyes shut and her face ashen with the pain in her ankle. She looked like she was trying not to pass out.

When the guards finally opened the door to let them out into the compound, Draco jumped down and helped Elsa down first, and then grabbed Hermione around the waist and lifted her down as gently as he could. He noticed her flinch at his touch and couldn't help but be a little...what? Hurt? No, it couldn't be. Well...maybe just a bit. He gently set her on the ground and put one of her arms around his neck and held it there while snaking his other arm around her waist to hold her up. They'd never finished the splint for her leg, and hadn't had time to find her a cane.

They walked to the middle of the compound and queued up with the rest of the prisoners. As they stood in line waiting to be issued sleeping assignments, duties, clothing, and get checked out by the doctors, the three took the opportunity to look at their surroundings. What they saw was not pleasant.

The open commons area was surrounded on all sides by a massive solid brick wall. Their only views outside were through the huge wooden doors leading into the compound. The commons was devoid of anything except a few sparse patches of grass and some older prisoners gathered in little groups watching the new arrivals. The last, and most horrifying thing that they noticed, was a platform over in one corner. From the center of that platform rose a tall wooden gallows.

"Name and age?" The SS soldier who was apparently checking in the newest members of this Hell had finally reached them.

"Huh? Oh. Uh...Hans Schmidt, 17," Draco lied, hoping the man didn't see through his obvious pseudonym. Fortunately, he just wrote the name down.

"Name and age?" The man had moved on to Hermione and Elsa.

"Gretchen Kuntz, 17 and Elsa Kuntz, 6," Hermione made up a name on the spot. Apparently she was going to try to keep Elsa with her by pretending they were sisters. The man merely wrote it all down and moved on.

"Well done, Gretchen," he smirked.

"Hey, it was your idea, Hans, I'm just playing along," she half-smiled back, but when she remembered their situation, she suddenly became grim again. "So, how do we get out of this one? This place is made of solid concrete. At least out here," she gestured to the thick walls.

Draco glanced around at the guards surrounding them. "Let's discuss this later, okay? I don't think it's a good idea at this particular moment."

She caught his meaning immediately and changed the subject. "What do you think it's going to be like here?"

"Hell."

"Great, I've never been there before. I'll work on my tan." Draco just frowned at her bad attempt at a joke, effectively shutting her up.

They were silent as they were given their bunk assignments, clothing and bedding, and they all headed off to visit their respective doctors. When they came to the doctors, Hermione finally got her leg in a very basic splint and was given an old cane to help her hobble around. This made her feel a whole lot better, but then they came at her with a shaving razor.

"Wha-what's that for?" she asked, her voice shaking with fear.

"You don't want lice, do you? Well you've got to lose that bush on your head if you don't want lice." And with that, they pinned her down and shaved off all of her hair. She felt so naked without her hair she began to sob. Elsa came up to her and tried to comfort her, but it wasn't until she saw that everyone, including Elsa, had been shaved that she began to stop crying.

When they finally put their stuff on their bunks (they shared a room with about ten other women), they headed back out to find Draco in the compound. Hermione finally saw him, but was stunned to see him without his white blonde hair. She knew everyone had been shaved, but it was still a shock.

Apparently he felt the same way when he saw her.

"Grang-...uh, Kuntz? Wow. You look...different," he said.

"I could say the same about you," she said, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"Well, at least they've got your leg in a splint finally," he said, glancing at her leg.

"Yeah. Too bad I couldn't get a cast, but such is the life of a prisoner, I guess."

"I just thought of something," he said, suddenly turning more pale than normal.

"What?"

"They haven't done a strip physical yet."

"A what!" Hermione couldn't keep the alarm out of her voice.

"Where they make you strip down and they check you over and rummage through your stuff. What are we gonna do when they find our wands? They're already starting to call people in," he said, pointing to a cluster of scared looking newcomers headed back towards the hospital ward.

"Bury them," Hermione said a defiant note in her voice.

Now it was Draco's turn to be incredulous. "What? We can't bury our wands! What's to keep others from digging them up?"

Hermione was already digging a hole. "What's to keep those SS men from taking in from you and putting you there when they find out what it is?" she shot back, pointing to the gallows.

"Point taken." He began digging just as Hermione finished and plopped her wand in. She was a very fast digger. She covered her wand up and moved to stand over the hole just as a soldier grabbed Draco and began dragging him towards the hospital wing. He hadn't gotten a chance to drop his wand in the hole.

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Okay, it's kind of a stupid ending to the chapter, and I'm sorry. However, everything that I've described of Breendonk is true. It was a fort turned labor camp and it had a gallows in one corner. It was cruel due to small numbers, and conditions were terrible. I'll get into more detail with the next chapters. Please review and send me any suggestions, comments or questions you may have. I respond to all signed reviews!


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I hope you will all continue reading and reviewing in the future! It's very much appreciated as any author knows.

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As the guards dragged him towards the ward, Draco tried to inconspicuously reach into his pocket, pull out his wand, and drop it on the ground for Hermione to pick up and hide. Unfortunately, just as he began to pull the wand out, one of the soldiers happened to glance at him, saw him pull something out of his pocket, and the next thing Draco knew, he was pinned to the ground with his cheek on the grass and a knee in his back. His arms were twisted painfully behind him and held in a death grip. He was forced to drop the wand.

Another SS man picked up the wand while the first held Draco to the ground. He got down on one knee and held the wand at Draco's eye level.

"What is this?" the man asked. Draco didn't know how to respond. It was too short for a cane, too long for a pen or pencil; it obviously wasn't a knife and even if it was that would only get him in trouble.

"I suggest you answer, _herr,_ because the _Führer_ doesn't like secrets. What is this?" The man was practically hissing at Draco.

He swallowed his urge to spit in the man's eye and told the truth. "It's my wand."

Immediately the SS man's eyes narrowed and his lips pressed together. "Guards, take him to the courtroom."

Draco was pulled to his feet and forcefully shoved out of the compound while the soldier followed, wand in hand.

Hermione and Elsa watched this whole display, clinging to each other in fear.

---

Draco was forced into a large room full of benches. At one end stood a judge's pulpit, so this place was apparently a courtroom. He was made to sit in a chair next to the pulpit, facing the gathering crowd of gawkers. Finally, after the room had filled to capacity, the judge walked in, glared at him, and sat down.

"What are the charges against this man?" he asked, gesturing to Draco. He was definitely cutting to the chase.

"He stands accused of witch craft, your honor," answered the man who had taken Draco's wand.

"What evidence do you have?" The judge narrowed his eyes at the man.

"We confiscated his wand, your honor." He stepped forward and placed the wand in front of the judge.

"Is this true?" The judge turned to Draco.

"No, your honor, I found it on the ground right before I was brought here. I picked it up not knowing what it was," Draco fibbed.

"Lies! If that were true, why did you admit that it was 'your wand' when we took it from you?" the SS man spat.

"Because technically it is mine, since we don't know who the real owner is. It's probably not even real, and even if it were, I don't know how to use it."

"Well then. Your honor, I charge that this boy is a thief. He stole that wand." The man smiled in triumph. He knew that he could get away with flimsy charges and Draco had played right into his hand.

"Upon hearing the evidence, I hereby sentence Hans Schmidt to be hanged until he is dead," the judge proclaimed, banging his gavel on the pulpit.

"What? No! You can't-" Draco began to protest, but his guards grabbed him and started dragging him off, once again. He struggled and was really giving them a run for their money, but another soldier came up behind him and hit him on the back of his head with the butt of his rifle, knocking Draco unconscious.

---

"What are they doing in there? Oh, this is bad. This is really bad! What if he dies? What am I supposed to do? I can't make it by myself!" Hermione was pacing back and forth across the compound. She didn't notice the middle aged man watching her from a few yards away. Elsa, on the other hand, was trying to get Hermione's attention.

"Hermione, please stop. You're drawing attention to us. If they see that you're nervous about what happened to him, they'll suspect something. Please stop," she pleaded.

"Hm? But I...well...I guess you're right," Hermione nodded, seeing the logic in the younger girl's statement.

Just as she was managing to calm herself down, though, Draco came back out. He was propped up between two guards, clearly unconscious. There was a patch of red on the back of his head as blood oozed into his hair. Hermione's eyes got large and she began to whimper at the site of him.

"They're gonna hang him!" Elsa said as she clutched at Hermione's skirt. She buried her head in the material and began to sob.

"Pst!" Hermione looked up at the sound.

"Pst!"

"Elsa, is that you?" she asked, glancing down at the girl. Elsa just shook her head.

"Over here!" a voice whispered. Hermione turned around and saw someone standing in the shadows of the wall behind her. Glancing around cautiously, she limped over to him.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Excuse me, _fräulein_, but are you, by any chance, a witch?" the gentleman asked. Hermione stared at him as the blood drained from her face. How did he know? "I'm sorry if I seem abrupt, but if you want to save your friend over there, I must know."

"And if I am?" she said warily.

"I am a squib. I'll tell you more in a minute, but for now, I need you to dig your wand back up and stupefy those guards." He gestured to the men supporting Draco. He appeared to be coming around, at least. Too bad it was just in time to find himself on the wrong end of a rope.

Hermione rushed over to the recently disturbed earth, broken ankle forgotten, where she had buried her wand and muttered 'accio wand'. It flew into her hand, causing a small hole in the dirt, and she ran back over to the man in the shadows. Turning, she pointed her wand at the guards.

"Stupefy!" she yelled. Immediately, a bolt of red lightning burst from her wand, and all the guards fell to the ground in a stupor. Draco stumbled, but fortunately was awake enough to catch himself. Immediately she turned to the guards around the compound and performed the same hex before they even knew what was happening. Hermione ran over to Draco and began dragging him back to the shadows as fast as she could. The strange man came out and met them halfway.

"Now listen. My name is Jon Schultz and I'm with the Magical British Underground. Our job is to help witches and wizards such as yourselves to get back to England. I have a contact in Antwerp, her name is Faye Molyneux. She's a good witch, and she can apparate you to England. First, you have to get out of here, though. I would suggest blowing up the gate." He nodded towards the main gate and Hermione nodded. Draco sat by the wall and tenderly felt the back of his head.

"Evanesco," Hermione muttered, and the large gate that had been keeping everyone in was suddenly gone. She jogged back, dragging her injured limb, to the three in the middle of the yard. "Okay, let's go," she said. They walked back through the space where the doors had so recently stood and was now receiving curious stares from the other prisoners. When they passed through, a rush of humanity crowded the entrance.

"Antwerp is about twelve miles from here, so if we walk fast, we should get there late tonight," Jon said, glancing up at the position of the sun. The group of four began to jog, just to make sure they'd be far from Breendonk when the soldiers recovered, with Jon carrying Hermione on his back.

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Okay, not the best chapter ever written, but I didn't know how I wanted that to play out. It was weak, I know and I'm sorry. Please review! Oh, and everything in italics is German, if you didn't figure that out.


	8. Chapter 8

School has now started for me, and I have quite a bit of English homework, so I won't be able to update very often. I'll do my best, though, and there aren't too many chapters left, anyway. Please continue to review! It makes me want to update more. Also, I realized that I made a mistake; in German, it's not Jon, it's Jan, and it's pronounced similar to 'yawn'. I'm too lazy to fix this in previous chapters, but I have amended it from here on out.

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After traveling for about three hours and nine miles, the group stopped for a brief break on the edge of a wood by a meadow. They had slowed their pace and found a hefty stick for Hermione to use as a cane so they didn't have to carry her the whole time.

"I'm so hungry," Draco said, clutching his growling stomach as he sat down on a rock.

"Well, why don't you and Elsa go and find some food? We're all hungry. Jan and I will find some water and see about maybe starting a fire," Hermione said. Jan nodded in agreement.

Draco sighed and stood back up, looking around for Elsa. He finally located her a few yards away, watching some bugs in the grass.

"Come on, Elsa, let's see what we can scrounge up," he said, taking the little girl's hand. They walked off a little distance until disappearing down a small slope.

"So, Jan, tell me. What are we going to do when we get to Antwerp?" Hermione asked, turning to the kind Belgian.

"Well, we'll have to go to the wizarding district, find someone who knows Faye, and convince her or one of her contacts to take you children back to England. That could be slightly more difficult because the sanctions on apparation have become stricter than ever before. One really isn't supposed to apparate with more than one other person now, because no one wants the wizarding community possibly aiding the Axis powers. I don't know if they think it would be possible for a single wizard to transport an entire battalion of Nazis or what, but they don't want to risk it. Plus, apparating all the way across the North Sea, or even the English Channel, takes a lot of energy and concentration, and many wizards and witches aren't willing to take the chance of not making it. If they loose their concentration, they could end up in the middle of frigid, submarine and mine infested waters," Jan shuddered at the thought.

"Oh. Yes, I understand the dilemma now," Hermione nodded, her voice quiet.

Suddenly, shots rang out in the distance. Hermione felt her heart stop for a moment before kicking into overdrive.

"Jan, what was that?" she asked, her voice trembling. It was a stupid question; she knew it had been the report of a rifle, but her fear was directed more towards who had done the firing than what had been fired. Jan seemed to understand the underlying meaning to her question, though.

"I think we should get ready to run," he said, dismantling their makeshift camp and heading towards the far end of the clearing. Hermione stood, reached for her cane and followed him.

Just as they reached the far side, Draco burst into side, the small form of Elsa slung across his back, her small arms wrapped around his neck. He was in a dead run and crossing the meadow at an incredible speed. He didn't slow down as he neared his two companions, merely shouted for them to run. They needn't have been told twice, as they immediately began to follow.

They had only just gotten out of sight of the clearing before they heard the shouts of the soldiers just reaching the now evacuated meadow. Too far away to make out what was being said, Hermione could still discern the apparent anger in their voices and wondered what Draco and Elsa had been doing in the vicinity of the Germans.

After they had been running for nearly fifteen minutes, they reached a thicket with a little deer trail running into its heart. Anxious for a reprieve from their exertion, the group ducked in and stumbled to a small hollow in the center where they all collapsed from exhaustion.

It was then that Hermione got a good look at Elsa. After Draco carefully removed the child from his back and placed her on the ground, it was obvious that she had been shot. A large bloodstain was quickly forming on her already tattered dress, just below her left shoulder blade. Her face was deathly pale, and the look on her face clearly registered extreme pain.

"Oh no!" Hermione breathed. She moved towards the child, desperate to try and heal the wound, but knowing full well that she didn't know enough healing charms to fix a wound as severe as that. But before she could reach Elsa, Draco was crouched next to her, gently pulling the injured child onto his lap. His eyes were shiny with tears, and his chin was trembling with the effort of holding them back.

"Oh, Elsa, I'm so sorry," he whispered, unable to contain his grief any longer. He cradled her body against his chest, his body wracked with sobs. Elsa raised one small hand and placed it on his cheek, causing him to jump.

"Please don't cry for me," she said, trying to smile at him, "I get to be with my parents again. What would I do in England, anyway? I would be placed in an orphanage, but I would hate that. I remember my parents, and no one could ever take their places. I'm happier this way," she sighed. Her hand began to slip from his cheek, but Draco grabbed it and cupped it in his large one. "You have been very kind to me, and I thank you. I hope you make it back safely," she smiled one last time, and then her head gently lolled back on the arm Draco had been supporting her with. Elsa was gone.

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I know it was short, but I just needed to get this chapter written. Hopefully it won't take me as long on the next one, but I can't promise anything. Please review, even if it's flames!


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Also, I'd like to thank mousecat08 for pointing out an error in chapter 7. I said blood was dripping from Draco's hair, but I forgot that Draco's head was shaved in chapter 6. Sorry for the really late update, but I'm usually either really busy or really lazy.

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Draco sat on the ground with Elsa's little body for nearly an hour, just rocking gently back and forth, silently sobbing. Hermione had always thought he was a heartless prat who couldn't care less for anyone, but his anguish was clearly evident now. She had no idea he had cared so deeply for the little girl.

"Excuse me, Miss, but do you think you could use your magic to help me dig a grave for the little one? I'd do it myself, but digging by hand could take a lot longer than we've got," Jan politely inquired after Hermione had cried for a bit. She nodded and walked a few feet away to where Jan indicated and muttered a spell. The dirt lifted out of the ground in one large clump and with a flick of her wand it landed next to the new hole. She turned and walked cautiously over to Draco.

"Draco?" she said quietly. He didn't respond, so she walked a little closer and kneeled down, putting her hand on his shoulder. He looked up, startled, and Hermione was able to see the look of extreme pain on his face. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and there were little streaks down either side of his face where the tears flowed freely. She could almost tangibly feel his sorrow, and it tore her apart inside to see him like this.

"Draco, I'm so sorry, but we need to bury her and keep going. I-I'm so sorry," was all she could think to say as she felt the tears begin to sting her eyes again. He gave her a dazed look before realizing what she was talking about. Slowly, he nodded and stood up, still holding the limp body of Elsa. Draco walked slowly over to the hole, knelt down, and placed the tiny form into it. As he stood up, Hermione levitated the dirt back over the hole and covered it up. Draco looked around for a moment, saw a large stone, and levitated it to the head of the grave. After placing it, he carved a tiny headstone for the grave and turned away.

"I'm sorry to seem so insensitive, but we need to continue on," Jan explained. Hermione nodded in agreement and glanced over at Draco. He was just standing there, a blank expression on his face. She walked over to him and gently took his hand, guiding him along the path. She was amazed at how easily he allowed himself to be guided, but the further they went, the more worried she became.

After a little while, she let Jan get a bit further ahead and she lagged behind to talk to Draco.

"Malfoy?" she questioned. He didn't respond to his surname, so she sighed and said, "Draco, please." His eyes snapped up and he looked at her as though he had never seen her before. She felt a little confused about why she cared so much about him suddenly, but chalked it up to just watching a child die in his arms. "Draco, I know Elsa was special. I cared about her too, but you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. There wasn't anything you could do. Please?" She didn't know why she was suddenly pleading with him.

"It was my fault. I wasn't watching her. There was a group of soldiers near where we were looking for food, and I guess she was going to try to steal some of their food. I wasn't paying attention and she snuck off. The next thing I knew, there was a gun shot and she came staggering back to me with a look of complete terror and pain etched across her face. I heard the soldiers coming, so I picked her up and ran as fast as I could. I didn't know how badly she'd been hurt until we got back. I just...How could they shoot a little girl?" he asked her, his eyes swimming with tears. Before she knew what she was doing, Hermione had wrapped her arms around him, and he was sobbing into her shoulder as tears slid silently down her own cheeks.

No wonder he was so distraught! He believed it was his fault that an innocent child had been tragically shot and killed. How incredibly sad...

"I have good news!" Jan yelled as he ran back through the brush towards them. "Antwerp is just across the river!" When he saw them embracing as they cried, though, he assumed a much more sedate manner.

Hermione finally broke away and turned to him with as much of a smile as she could muster as she wiped tears away from her dirty face with the back of her hand. "That is good news!" she exclaimed as happily as she could. She and Draco followed Jan to a break in the trees, and before them spread a lovely little panorama of a smooth river with the city of Antwerp on the other side.

After taking in the scene for a bit, they clambered down the slope to the river and wandered along the banks for a bit until Jan managed to find a little punt. They all climbed in and Jan rowed the short distance to the other shore. When they got back out of the little boat, Hermione glanced down at their now-tattered clothes.

"Oh, this won't do! We'll draw far too much attention if we look like a bunch of waifs." And with that, she drew her wand, pointed it at each of them and gave them all normal looking period clothing and even managed to grow back Draco's hair. They quickly washed their faces in the river before proceeding into the city.

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There. Weak and pathetic, I know, but at least I finally got that chapter out and they're in Antwerp. Maybe I'll actually have time to update over Thanksgiving break! I'm going to try and end the story within two, possibly three, more chapters. Not much happened in this chapter, and I'm sorry, but the next chapters should be better if I ever manage to get them written (don't worry, I will finish the story. I always do). Well, please review! The more reviews I get, especially ones that are more than one or two sentences, the more motivated I become to write more often! Thanks to everyone who is still reading this!


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks once again to all of my fabulous reviewers! I'm very sorry for my slow updates. And to Andie (sorry, you didn't sign your review so I couldn't reply that way), I'm glad you kept reading, and Antwerp really was only twelve miles away to begin with so it shouldn't have taken more than a day or two to get there. Thanks for the review!

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As they entered Antwerp, Hermione was struck by the beauty of the architecture in the old city. The gothic design was breathtaking. They wandered the streets for a while in a seemingly aimless manner until they arrived at a rather unspectacular looking door. Jan knocked three times and they all stood there for a few minutes before they heard the sound of several locks being slid back, and a slight woman with unruly blonde hair stood in the doorway.

"Jan!" she cried in excitement. She immediately launched herself into his open arms and he spun her in a circle, hugging her tightly.

"Faye, it has been far too long. I see that the Nazis haven't gotten you yet, though," he said after putting her back down. She shot him a winning smile before turning to the spectators.

"Hello, I'm Faye Molyneux. And you are..." she questioned, extending a hand.

Hermione took it and said, "I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Draco Malfoy. I'm sorry to seem blunt ma'am, but will you be able to take us back to England? There seems to have been some sort of accident..." she trailed off under Faye's critical gaze.

"Hmm...Two adolescents...I don't know that I can side-along these two by myself. But please, we must go inside! Where are my manners?" she exclaimed as she bustled the trio through the doorway and into a quaint little parlor.

"Now, before we go any further, you look as though you must be famished! I'll go get supper started and we can discuss things over a nice hot meal." And with that, she vanished through an adjacent doorway.

Jan sat down in an overstuffed arm chair, while Draco immediately sat down on the loveseat sofa. Normally, Hermione would not have sat next to him, but she was too exhausted and emotionally drained to stay on her feet any longer, so she plopped down next to Draco. They sat in silence like that for what seemed like ages, just listening to Faye in the kitchen as she cooked.

The next thing Hermione knew, she was opening her eyes and raising her head from the arm of the sofa as the aroma of potato soup permeated the room. She had slept sitting up with her head resting on the high, cushioned arm of the comfortable couch. When she tried to move, she realized that there was a heavy weight in her lap, and upon looking down, she saw Draco Malfoy-asleep in her lap.

At first, she almost pushed him off the sofa for having the audacity to touch her, but then she remembered what had happened in the course of one day, and she immediately felt sorry and merely shook his shoulder to wake him up.

"Malfoy, it's time to eat. Get up," she said. He turned his head so that he could see her face and blinked blearily a few times.

"Granger? What are you...oh. Thanks." He hastily sat up and turned away from her so she wouldn't see the blush creeping into his cheeks.

"No problem." She stood up and walked into the kitchen, her stomach growling. Draco was right on her heels.

"Mmm...Faye, this smells fabulous!" Hermione exclaimed as she drooled over the bowl of soup Faye had just handed her.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't make something with more meat, but I'm afraid it's rather a rare commodity these days," Faye said with a smile.

"So, about England..." Hermione started.

"I have been pondering the situation as I cooked, and I've decided that I will take you, but I shall have to find someone to help me, since I will be unable to take you both. Fortunately, I know just the person. He's here to help with the war effort since he's English and wants to fight for his homeland without actually joining up. He does things a soldier would never be allowed to do. He will want to meet you."

"Who are we talking about, Faye?" Jan wandered into the room, only catching the tale end of the conversation as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes.

"Albus Dumbledore, sleepy-head. I'm going to ask him to help me side-along these two," Faye responded, rumpling Jan's hair. At the mention of Dumbledore's name, Hermione and Draco looked up sharply, both suddenly wondering what it would be like to meet their headmaster as a young adult.

"Well, you three can all go sleep in the bedrooms I've got on the second floor. All of the beds are made and ready for you, so go rest up. I'm just going to pop over and speak to Albus. I should be back before morning, but I'll need to explain the situation to him in full to ensure that he understands the risks. He's naturally inquisitive anyway, so I'm sure he shall be filled with questions about you two," Faye laughed as she took their now empty bowls and charmed them to wash themselves before exiting the room. They heard a pop from the living room and knew she had apparated to some undisclosed location.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm tired, so I'm going to go to bed now and rest up while I can, and I suggest you do the same soon. You have another grueling stretch ahead of you," Jan said before going up the stairs. Draco and Hermione were silent until they heard his door close.

"Professor Dumbledore...What's he doing in Antwerp?" Draco wondered.

"He's very secretive about his personal life, so I suppose it's only natural that he wouldn't tell us that he helped act as a spy or something during World War II. It's not mandatory that he share everything with us," Hermione reasoned.

"But why Antwerp? It's not _that _important of a city, is it?" Draco asked.

"Well, why us? Why were we the ones who went back in time? We're not _that_ special, are we? Who knows why he's in Antwerp? The important thing is that he can help us!" Hermione was feeling slightly exasperated with Draco's defeatist attitude. They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a interminable amount of time before Draco finally sighed and stood up.

"Well, I guess I'll go to bed. Jan was right. The trouble could just be starting. England had it pretty rough during this war, too, as I recall." He began to walk up the stairs. Hermione jumped up and, not wanting to be left alone in a strange house, followed him up the stairs. There were three doors at the top and one, presumably Jan's, was closed. They parted ways then, each taking a different room.

A few hours later, Hermione awoke to two popping noises downstairs, and she immediately jumped out of bed, both excited and a little scared to meet her old professor as a slightly younger man. She opened her bedroom door at the same time as Draco was exiting his room. They looked at each other apprehensively before going downstairs.

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Okay, how was that? It was a pretty fast update and a longer chapter than I've put up in a long time! Oh, and I guess I've never said this before, but this probably takes place during the sixth or seventh year at Hogwarts, but I'm treating it as though HBP never happened. Anyway, please review! I've decided not to update again until I get at least ten reviews for this chapter.


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It always makes me feel good that my writing is appreciated, as any writer knows. Sorry to anyone who wrote a signed review this time, but for some reason, FanFiction hasn't been forwarding on my reviews, so I haven't been able to reply. Well, as promised, here's chapter 11!

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As Hermione and Draco stumbled down the stairs, the old wizard in the kitchen turned to study them with a pensive gaze. Hermione unconsciously stood up straighter and attempted to iron the wrinkles out of her slept-in skirt with her hands. Draco couldn't quite meet his gaze but stared at a point just over the old man's right shoulder.

"Hello. I presume that you must be Mister Malfoy and you, my dear, must be Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Er...yes, that's correct," Hermione said, extending her hand which he shook.

"No need to be surprised, Faye told me everything already. It's nice to meet some fellow countrymen, excuse me, and woman. However, I must warn you, it will be very dangerous once we are in London. Are you positive that London is where you want to go? It's safer in the country. All of the children have been evacuated from the cities, so you would have to stay hidden or use an aging spell, which could be very dangerous. You wouldn't want to end up looking like me, now, would you?" the old man chuckled, but they could sense how very serious he really was.

"We've thought about the risks, Professor, and we have decided that it can't be any more dangerous than what we've already experienced," Draco said without realizing his slip. Dumbledore, however, looked at him very sharply at the word _professor_.

"I don't believe that I ever said I was a professor," Dumbledore said.

Draco, suddenly aware of his mistake said, "Oh, of course. Sorry, you remind me of one of my old professors back at school. I didn't mean to offend or anything."

"No offense taken, I actually am a professor at a private school," Dumbledore said, still peering at Draco over the top of his half-moon glasses.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, causing Dumbledore to shift his attention to her and regard her carefully with his hawk-like gaze. After what seemed like an eternity to the two students, Dumbledore finally coughed and turned to Faye.

"Well, I suppose that they want to get home right away, so shall we get started?" he said.

"I guess so. Minerva is okay with this, right?" Faye questioned. Once again, Draco and Hermione exchanged a look.

"Of course. She said no one ever visits the place anymore, anyway, so it should be safe. So far, it has escaped any damage from the bombings. Are you ready, my boy?" he asked, brushing off any further questioning and turning to Draco. Draco didn't know if he should be excited about finally getting back to England or afraid to see the state it would be in upon his return. He only nodded.

Faye walked over to Hermione's side and instructed her to hold on to her waist and not let go until Faye told her it was okay. Dumbledore told Draco it was okay to just hold his arm, but he should not let go under any circumstance. And thus, with two loud popping noises, the four disappeared.

---

Hermione had never been side-alonged before, and she thought the experience quite unpleasant. It felt like being squeezed through an empty paper towel tube. The feeling seemed to last forever, and she wondered just how fast they were traveling at that moment. Just when she felt she couldn't take it any more, it stopped.

"It's all right, dear, you can let go now," Faye said, releasing Hermione.

As Hermione stepped away from the lady, she took in her surroundings. They were apparently in a very old house which didn't appear to have been lived in for quite some time. The only light came from a large picture window at one end of the room, filling the house with a heavy sense of loneliness. All of the furniture was covered in dust sheets, and the once plush carpets had a moth-eaten look. The paintings on the walls were probably worth quite a bit of money, but they, too, were covered in dust and grime.

"Where are we?" she asked, turning to Faye.

"We are in the house of one of my dearest friends," a voice said from behind her. She turned to see Dumbledore and Draco standing in the doorway. "Sorry, but we arrived in a different room. It's been a while since I was last here. Minerva McGonagall is now a teacher at my school and lives there year-round, like most of the other teachers. She has no reason to come back here usually, and since she has no family, the house has been uninhabited for many years now. It's a pity since it used to be quite nice, but it has at least given us a safe place to apparate to," he explained.

"So what part of England are we in right now, sir?" Draco asked politely, turning to their old headmaster. Hermione couldn't help but notice that he seemed much more polite since this whole fiasco started than he had ever been before. He actually seemed rather kind.

"We are about a day's journey Northwest of London. Unfortunately, Faye and I will not be able to stay with you, but I have a map which should help you on your way. It will show you exactly where you are and how far you are from your destination. Once you are in London, please use extreme caution. Some of the people can be just as dangerous as the air raids." And with that warning, he handed them the map and he and Faye once again disappeared.

"Well, that wasn't something I was expecting. Dumbledore! I can't believe that we're only a day away from London! Aren't you excited?" Hermione gushed and turned to Draco. He stood there and just looked at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Yeah, I guess. We'd better get going if we're going to get there, though," he said, and exited through the doorway he'd come in from. Hermione trotted after him. Faye had been kind enough to heal her ankle in Antwerp.

They wandered through the mansion, trying to find a way out. They dusty corridors and gloomy silence sent chills up Hermione's spine. The old house seemed so sad, but she felt that if she listened hard enough, the sounds of happy children and loving families could almost been heard as memories from the past. But as quickly as she thought she heard such things, the sounds would disappear and she was left once again with nothing but the sight of Draco's retreating back.

---

Finally, they found the kitchen and were able to leave through a door which led them out to a heavily overgrown garden. They were able to see the gate from where they stood, though, and were soon out in the countryside.

It was early afternoon, and for once, the weather was absolutely beautiful. Hermione felt absolutely giddy with relief to be back in her home country once again, even if they were in the wrong time. She jogged down the dirt road in front of Draco until she reached a patch of little wild flowers. Immediately, she dropped to her knees and inhaled the fresh scent before scooping up a handful and beginning to weave them together.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked, walking up behind her.

"Making a crown of flowers. I haven't done this since I was a little kid!" she exclaimed in an ebullient tone. Draco just stood there, watching the girl. When she finally finished, she placed the little circlet of flowers atop her head and laughed a merry, bubbling laugh and clapped her hands for joy.

"I'm so happy! Draco, how can you stand there looking so serious when everything is starting to work out?" she asked, peering at him. He'd never seen her look so happy and beautiful than she did at that moment. Wait, did he just think she was beautiful? Well, she was. Draco suddenly felt different inside...as though something were expanding within his chest. It was a wonderful feeling, and it made him want to take her hands and dance with her, but he resisted the urge.

Instead, he stepped up close to her, wrapped one arm around her small waist and placed his other hand on her cheek, tilting her head back. She looked at him in wide-eyed wonder just before his lips descended on hers in the deepest, most heartfelt kiss she had ever experienced. Draco filled the kiss with all the passion and intensity he felt, and was pleased to feel Hermione wrap her arms around him and return the kiss.

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Well? There will only be one more chapter, so please review! I didn't get the ten reviews I wanted for the last chapter, which makes me sad, but like I said, I won't stop writing this story, either. Review, even if it's a flame!


	12. Chapter 12

Stupid FanFiction, not sending out the email alerts. I wonder why it took so long to fix the darn alerts? Well, here's the final chapter.

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When they finally pulled apart, Hermione's legs were slightly shaky and Draco felt completely drained yet totally exuberant. He didn't know how long these feelings had been building up inside of him, but he was glad to have them out in the open at last.

"What...was that?" Hermione managed to ask after getting her breath back.

"I'm sick of always keeping a stony exterior. I guess seeing you so happy and carefree even after what we've been through finally forced me to acknowledge that. Hermione, I care for you and I wanted you to know that you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Draco blushed a little as the words rushed from his mouth. Had he really just admitted that?

Hermione just stared at him in open-mouthed wonder. Draco Malfoy - of all people - thought she was beautiful? True, lately she had found herself to be slightly more attracted to him than she was comfortable admitting to, but she had never expected it to be reciprocated!

"Do you really mean that?" she queried. Her heart hammered as she asked the question.

"Yeah...I do," he whispered. He stepped closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and shoulders. She looked up at him and smiled shyly, a slight blush gracing her cheeks. Draco bent down and kissed her until she felt as though she were on one of those rides that spins faster and faster until the bottom drops out and you're stuck to the side. Right now, she knew that the bottom must have just fallen out from under her and the only thing holding her up was Draco. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

After what felt like hours, she finally forced herself to start thinking logically and she pulled away from his powerful arms.

"Draco, much as I'm truly enjoying this, I think we should get going to London. What does the map say that Dumbledore gave you? How far away are we?" she asked, trying to change the subject. Draco was hesitant to let her go at first, but caught the logic in what she said. He withdrew the map from within his jacket and opened it. He located the red dot which indicated where they were and would move in correlation with wherever they went. It indicated that they were about two miles from London.

"Well, I suppose if we walk fast we should be there in about half an hour," he estimated, glancing at the sky. The sun was almost to the western horizon, so they needed to hurry if they were going to find a place to stay tonight. They set off at a brisk pace and without a word, Draco picked up Hermione's hand and held it as they walked.

---

They reached the outskirts of London just as the sun was casting a red hue throughout the western sky. Neither one recognized the city for a moment; the familiar skyline they had grown up with was completely gone, and not just because half the buildings hadn't been built yet. The city was in ruins.

Draco couldn't help but notice as they walked down the streets of the city how the further in they went, the more ruinous the place became. Half-destroyed buildings stood with the rubble piled at their bases. It was almost impossible to get through the streets in some areas because the debris was piled so high that only a small, winding path allowed passage.

As they walked, Draco realized that he was basically guiding Hermione through the obstacles, and she followed as though she had no control over her own actions. She just stared at the destruction all around her.

The most eerie part of the entire experience was the complete lack of other people in the streets. It was as though the whole city was abandoned. Any homes which may have been inhabited had the window shades drawn until not a glimmer of light could escape, and no one roamed the streets.

"Draco, I'm scared," Hermione suddenly whispered in his ear. He tried to squeeze her hand reassuringly, but he, too, was filled with dread. The fog was rolling in off the river since the sun had just set, and walking through the mist with the heaps of rubble all around felt like walking through a cemetery.

"There's nothing to worry about. It's just fog; it couldn't hurt a fly. What are you afraid of?" he asked. She just stood there, as though rooted to the spot, and ignored him. She was listening to something. Before Draco could find out what it was, though, a horrible wailing rent the air. He didn't know what it was at first, but it wasn't human. Attempting to cover his ears, he grabbed Hermione and began dragging her towards a doorway, but she wouldn't move; she was staring at something in the sky.

Looking up, he saw the dreaded outlines of five German bombers flying in formation. Well, that would explain the sound! It was the air raid sirens! This was bad. He and Hermione were outside in the middle of a German bombing run on London. He turned to try to get Hermione back into a somewhat safe location, but where she had been standing before was only a swirling mist. Peering around, he saw her figure disappearing in the milky-whiteness.

"Hermione!" he called, but she didn't hear him. He began sprinting after her, his heart thumping wildly in his ears. Draco had a ghastly feeling that something dreadful was about to happen to one, or both, of them.

Finally, he managed to catch up to her a bit. She was still about thirty feet in front of him, but she was slowing down. He began to run faster, but his foot hit the corner of a pile of destroyed masonry and he was sent sprawling on his face just when he heard the awful whistling noise tearing through the air. All during the mad dash after Hermione, Draco had heard the bombs dropping from the bombers, screeching through the air and blowing huge buildings into tiny pieces, and it was a sound he dreaded to hear.

Now, Hermione heard it, too. She stood, paralyzed by fear, next to a half-demolished old office building, and as Draco watched, she turned to look at the building as though just now realizing where she was. In slow motion, it seemed, the bomb struck the building on the far side, but with enough force that the entire limestone building was blown to smithereens. Hermione disappeared in a sea of huge bricks.

The last thing Draco knew, he was screaming his lungs out, and then everything went black.

---

"Draco...Draco, darling, wake up!" Draco heard a woman's voice calling to him and felt himself being shaken. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her close to him before opening his eyes to see...Pansy Parkinson? Where was Hermione?

He abruptly released the shocked and somewhat hurt looking Pansy and sat up quickly. The sudden movement caused his head to swim and he sank back on the pillows upon which he had been reclining. He saw that he was in the Hogwarts hospital wing, and was apparently back in the correct time period once again, if Pansy was there.

"Pansy, get Madam Pomfrey for me. Now," he commanded. Pansy shot him a wounded look before stomping off in compliance to his wish.

While he waited for the coming of the infirmary nurse, Draco began to take in his situation. Something had happened to him...his head was throbbing and he realized that it was bandaged. How long had he been here? Where was...Hermione! Was she okay? What had happened to her? Before he could wonder any more, Madam Pomfrey entered.

"Mister Malfoy! I'm glad to see you're finally recovering! You seemed to have been having some rather wild dreams there for a while," she said, eyeing him critically.

"Madam Pomfrey, what happened to me? And where's Granger?" Draco asked, trying to sound nonchalant about the last question, but he was truly anxious to know the answer. He felt sick to his stomach whenever he thought about what could have happened to Hermione.

"I'm afraid you've been in a coma for the last week. You tripped down one of the staircases, and took Miss Granger down with you. You hit your heads together and against a stone wall simultaneously. Honestly, I've never seen such a freak accident! Both you and Miss Granger have been comatose ever since. However, she woke up a few minutes before you did, and I was merely moving her to a different room when you awoke. I had Miss Parkinson stay with you should you happen to awake while I was gone. I would like to keep you here overnight, just to ensure that you are quite all right, and you may go in the morning. I'll have some of the house elves bring you supper, and you are to _stay in bed_ until I say you may get up." And with that, she swept out of the room.

Draco felt a sudden elation when he heard that Hermione was okay. But that was the only bit of news which made him feel better. Comatose? Had the whole thing been a dream? Had Hermione had the same dream, or had she dreamed something different all together? If she didn't remember anything, he felt that he would die of grief. In the time that he lay there pondering his troubles, the house elves came and went and his food had gotten cold.

---

Apparently, Draco had fallen asleep wondering if Hermione would remember anything, because he suddenly opened his eyes to find that the room was completely dark except for the moonlight shining in through the window. He needed to think, so without any regard for what Madam Pomfrey had told him earlier, he clambered out of bed and padded softly from the hospital wing.

Draco wandered the castle, treading through the lesser-used passages of the massive building, avoiding prying eyes. He shambled aimlessly about, hardly caring what part of the castle he was in until he found himself in the silent darkness of the astronomy tower. The tower had an ethereal feel to it, perhaps because it seemed that the heavens were closer here than anywhere else in the world, and the stars gave a soft, shadowy light to the room. Draco collapsed on a bench under the window and gazed helplessly at the stars.

"Fancy meeting you here," a soft voice broke the silence. Draco was startled out of his reverie, but the gentleness in the voice stopped him from yelling at the person. Instead, he peered into the darkness to see who had spoken, but he could only see the shadowy shapes of the various instruments and furniture in the room.

"Who's there?" he queried.

"Hello, Draco," Hermione said, stepping out of the darkness and into a tiny pool of light near his seat by the window. Draco wanted to shout for joy when he saw her, but managed to contain his excitement.

"What are you doing here, Granger?" he asked, not sure yet if she had shared the same comatose dream with him.

She gave him a slightly hurt look before replying, "I could ask you the same question. But if you must know, I had to ask you something. Draco...did you have a dream during your coma?"

Suddenly, hope sprang anew in Draco's chest. He sent up a fervent prayer that she had the same dream and said, "Yeah...I dreamed I was in World War Two Germany. And you?"

"Oh. Well, that wasn't my dream at all."

Draco felt he was going to cry when he heard this.

"Gotcha," she said with a slight grin. "Oh, I'm so glad that we had the same dream! It was awful. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't had the same one I did! Draco, please tell me that your actions and feelings in the dream weren't a figment of the imagination, too."

"Sorry, but it was really just a dream."

"...Oh."

"Gotcha." Draco laughed at the look of shock on Hermione's face before jumping off the bench and wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. He never wanted to let her go again. After a while, though, she pushed away a bit to peer up into his face, a happy smile gracing her features.

"Hermione, how do you think we managed to have the same dream?" he asked, the question had suddenly popped into his head.

"Well, I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it's because we had been fighting right before the accident happened, and our minds were both still fixated on that argument. Plus, with all the magic floating around this place and the fact that we hit our heads together, it probably caused some sort of 'mind-meld,'" she responded. Draco nodded, pretending he really understood what she had just said.

"Okay. Well, so long as we both remember everything. I don't ever want to lose you again, Hermione. That was the worst feeling in the world to see that building collapse on you. I thought I had died with you. I'm so glad you're not dead," he said, clutching her to him again and kissing the top of her head. She hugged him back and gently rubbed her hands up and down his back, trying to soothe him.

"You won't lose me again, Draco. Not if I can help it," she smiled and turned her face towards him, kissing him on the cheek. He turned and caught her lips in a warm, gentle kiss.

"Go out with me, Granger?" he whispered in between kisses.

"In a heartbeat, Malfoy," she smiled and deepened the kisses.

The End.

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Okay, kinda cheesy (by which I mean extremely cheesy). I know the end was a big twist from what everyone was expecting (I think), but hopefully it wasn't too bad. I had it planned from the beginning, so I couldn't really change it. Anyway, please review, and if you have questions about it or something, leave a signed review and I will definitely reply! Thanks for everyone who has stuck with this story from beginning to end, and I hope it wasn't too disappointing.


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